Resilient wheel.



H. H. BROWNE & J'. M. ASHER, JR.

RBSILIENT WHEEL APPLIOATIO N FILED DEC. 30, 1908.

Patented Mar. 1, 1919.

an we nfoz a Jas virus 24 [2257167 c/f' Ill] 7 orrao s'rAtras PATEN' onnion' l HARRISON HOPPER BROWNE AND JOSEPHUS MARION ASHER, J R., OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

"RESILIEN WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. HAnRIsox HOPPER Browne and Josnrnrs l\L\RION ASHER, Jr.,

'wheels. the object of. the invention being to provide an improved structure of this character. one that will be neat in appearance and will etlicientlv cushion the vehicle to which it is applied by means of springs, thereby rendering unnecessary the use of pneumatic tires.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawing. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle wheel constructed in accordance with the invention. one of the telescopic spokes thereof being shown in section; Fig 2 is a transverse vertical section of said wheel with one o1 the telescopic spokes shown in elevation, and Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating a modified form of spoke which may be employed when it is desired to have the'wheel a dished one. Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

lleterring to the drawing. the numeral 5 designates a solid rubber't'ire which is carried by a rim (3. This rim is in turn carried by the telly T of the wheel. Bifurcated clips 8 embrace the telly and are secured thereto by bolts or like fastening devices 9. Vertirally disposed bolts 10 pass through the rim and through the telly and have nuts it upon their inner ends, these bolts serving not only to bind the rim and telly together but also serving to aid in retaining the clips 8 in position,

livotcd between jaws 12 of the clips 8 and upon bolts 12' are the caps 1?) ol' spokes l l.

'lhesc spokes comprise sleeves l5, and cylinders it}, the sleeves to be ingot' larger diameter than the cylinders 16 and sliding thereon. The caps 13 may be secured to the sleeves 15 in any desired manner, such as Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1908. Serial No. 470,031.-

by brazingfor instance and caps 17 are in like manner secured to the cylinders 16. The inner ends of the caps 17 are pivoted by means of bolts 18 to blocks 19, these blocks being ield in position in a hub 20 by plates 21 and bolts 22. If desired a bearingsleeve may be inserted in the hub and this sleeve may be provided with a key-way 24 for the purpose of keying the sleeve to the dr ving shaft of an automobile when thewheal'is employed as a driving wheel. In Fig. 3 the parts are of'the same structure exce'pt that the caps 13 are so arranged that their'bearing portions that receive the bolts12' lie at an anglein such manner that the Wheel will be a' dished wheel. It is a well known fact that the dishing of Wheels adds mate- "rially totheir strength and ordinarily we prefer to make the wheel in this manner but the wheel may be constructed as shown in.

Fig. 2 as an alternative construct-ion if desired. Disposed within the telescopic spokes are springs :25, and'26u The springs 25 bear between caps 13 and 17 and normally tend to 'force said caps away from each other while the springs 26 are positively connected at their ends to said caps by means of pins '27 and 28, and tend to draw said caps t0- ward each other.

The operation" of the device is as follows: W hen the strain' is brought to bear upon the hub by the weight of the vehicle, the springs beneath said hub tend to resist the downward movement of the hub by pressing against the-caps 13 and 17 While the springs '26 above said lmb likewise tend to resist such downward movement by their endw-ise pull which tends to pull said caps toward each other. This results in producing a structure which is particularly well balanced. Any movement of the hub with relation to the rim must be a gradual one, thereby avoiding the certain jerks and jars that would result if a single spring acting in only one direction were employed. It will also be seen that the springs are protected from the weather and that it is impossible for dirt or grit to get lo them. This lengthens their life and since Patented Mar. 1, 1910.

I Weakeneda' ers not only preserve the caps from wear but provide means for trning up the Wheel. If for instance one of the'springs, 25 becomes otas sfrong as the'remjaining springs'25, y adding'one or more \vashers 30, this detect may be remedied. Since the spoliesfrire"pivoted both; at the rim' and hub, they may change their tangential position, This is found to be of advantage when an automobile in which the wheel isused, is being started, the Wheel is employed'as a driving wheel for it permits a slight movementiot the hub with relation to the rim after the engine is thrown into gear with the driving shaft, and interposes' a spring cushion between the driving shaftjaiidthe rim of the Wheel. If this movement 'is not desired, it is only necessary to tighten up on" the nuts 12 and 18 carried by bolts l2" and 18. V This will bind the parts togetl'ier in such manner that the conneetion isno longer a pivoted one butis a rigid one. s

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple and efiicient means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects ot the. invention, but while the elements shown and described are Well adapted to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but includes within its Itvisparticularly true when i l I l 1 t washer and the other of said caps.

purview such changes as may be made within the scope of the appended claim.

. Ha ing described our invention,.,what,we

elainri's: V i t i In a device of the character described, the

combination with a felly, a rim and a tire, of. a 'hub, a plurality of bifurcated members secured to the rim, a plurality of bifurcated members secured to the hub, a plurality of.

telescopic spokes each of said spokes comprising a pa r ot tubular secured Within the ends of the tubular secsections having telescoplc engagement wlth each other, caps tions of the spokes, reduced extensions formed upon said caps, said extensions enteringthe bifurcated members of the rim and the hub,

means for pivotally connecting said exteh-f slons in said bifurcated members, a pair of springs in each of said spokes, means tor positively connecting the ends of one of said i springs to said caps to thereby draw the ,tu-l.

bular sections of the spoke together, a Washer bearing against one oi said caps and the other otsaid springs bearing between said In testimony whereof, We have aiiixe'doi signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

llAltRlSON HOPPER BROWNE'. .lOSlllHUS "ANION ASHER, JR. Witnesses G. Coxm'ons, Ml Sotmrrxrrr. 

